Cost of Living Comparison Between Bali and Surakarta Cost of Living Comparison Between Bali and Surakarta

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,290 per month in Bali vs $652 in Surakarta, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,302 per month in Bali vs $1,001 in Surakarta, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,314 per month in Bali vs $1,351 in Surakarta, rent included.

Bali costs about 98% more than Surakarta, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Bali and Surakarta are more affordable than the global median – Bali 3% lower, Surakarta 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 Rp 51.4K

$1.56 Rp 27.9K

83.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.11 Rp 487.2K

$12.42 Rp 223.2K

118.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.25 Rp 76.3K

$3.10 Rp 55.6K

37.10%

Cappuccino

$2.24 Rp 40.3K

$1.66 Rp 29.9K

34.94%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.15 Rp 20.6K

$0.56 Rp 10.0K

105.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.58 Rp 10.5K

$0.27 Rp 4,890

114.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.42 Rp 43.5K

$1.79 Rp 32.2K

35.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.32 Rp 59.6K

$2.98 Rp 53.6K

11.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 Rp 29.9K

$1.20 Rp 21.6K

38.33%

White Bread (500g)

$2.44 Rp 43.8K

$0.82 Rp 14.8K

197.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.09 Rp 19.6K

$0.75 Rp 13.4K

45.33%

Eggs

$2.25 Rp 40.5K

$1.23 Rp 22.2K

82.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.93 Rp 250.3K

$9.38 Rp 168.5K

48.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.10 Rp 73.7K

$2.87 Rp 51.6K

42.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.34 Rp 203.8K

$7.20 Rp 129.4K

57.50%

Apples (1kg)

$3.66 Rp 65.8K

$2.30 Rp 41.4K

59.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 Rp 27.7K

$1.48 Rp 26.6K

4.05%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 Rp 47.8K

$2.20 Rp 39.5K

20.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 Rp 39.7K

$1.36 Rp 24.5K

62.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.82 Rp 32.6K

$1.37 Rp 24.6K

32.85%

Onion (1kg)

$2.08 Rp 37.4K

$1.64 Rp 29.5K

26.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 Rp 18.6K

$0.62 Rp 11.2K

67.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 Rp 12.3K

$0.42 Rp 7,594

64.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.10 Rp 55.8K

$2.13 Rp 38.3K

45.54%

Wine (Bottle)

$22.34 Rp 401.5K

$8.32 Rp 149.5K

168.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.62 Rp 47.2K

$1.85 Rp 33.2K

41.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.65 Rp 47.6K

$3.25 Rp 58.5K

-18.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,804

$0.41 Rp 7,400

-34.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$8.19 Rp 147.1K

$9.85 Rp 177.0K

-16.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.45 Rp 8,084

$0.45 Rp 8,047

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 Rp 8,243

$0.31 Rp 5,636

48.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.99 Rp 107.7K

$2.77 Rp 49.8K

116.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.82 Rp 14.7K

$0.78 Rp 13.9K

5.13%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.0K Rp 466.5M

$21.1K Rp 379.2M

23.02%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$32.6K Rp 585.7M

$35.7K Rp 641.9M

-8.75%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$79.4 Rp 1.4M

$84.6 Rp 1.5M

-6.21%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$4.07 Rp 73.1K

$2.28 Rp 41.0K

78.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.04 Rp 432.1K

$19.55 Rp 351.3K

22.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$80.6 Rp 1.4M

$19.94 Rp 358.3K

304.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.47 Rp 98.2K

$6.32 Rp 113.6K

-13.45%

Cinema Ticket

$3.29 Rp 59.1K

$2.21 Rp 39.7K

48.87%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$273 Rp 4.9M

$36.42 Rp 654.5K

648.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,104 Rp 109.7M

$2,102 Rp 37.8M

190.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.5 Rp 943.7K

$61.0 Rp 1.1M

-13.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.11 Rp 666.9K

$38.66 Rp 694.8K

-4.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.2 Rp 1.5M

$77.5 Rp 1.4M

7.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.8 Rp 1.3M

$73.2 Rp 1.3M

-0.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$860 Rp 15.5M

$254 Rp 4.6M

239.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$582 Rp 10.5M

$161 Rp 2.9M

262.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,932 Rp 52.7M

$581 Rp 10.4M

405.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,801 Rp 32.4M

$328 Rp 5.9M

448.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,406 Rp 43.2M

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,957 Rp 35.2M

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$221 Rp 4.0M

$157 Rp 2.8M

40.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.28

8.33

59.42%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Bali: July 11, 2026

Last update for Surakarta: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $860 in Bali versus $254 in Surakarta. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 41% higher in Bali, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Bali versus $12.00 in Surakarta. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $285 vs $176 – making Surakarta the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Bali vs Surakarta: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bali costs about 98% more than Surakarta, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,935 per month in Bali and $977 in Surakarta. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Surakarta, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $27.00 in Bali and $12.00 in Surakarta. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,290 in Bali and $652 in Surakarta. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Surakarta, where all-in costs run around $652, than in Bali at $1,290. In Surakarta it covers expenses comfortably, while in Bali it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Surakarta costs $652 versus $1,290 in Bali. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Surakarta. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Bali makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.